The United States is alarmed by the Burmese security forces’ violence against peaceful protestors. The killings today represent an escalation of the ongoing crackdown on pro-democracy protestors since the February 1 coup. I offer my heartfelt condolences to the families of the courageous protestors who have lost their lives while peacefully demonstrating in support of democracy in Burma.

The United States stands in solidarity with the people of Burma, who continue to bravely voice their aspirations for democracy, rule of law, and respect for human rights. We will continue coordinating closely with allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region and around the world to hold those responsible for violence to account, and to reinforce our support for the people of Burma. To that end, we are preparing additional actions to impose further costs on those responsible for this latest outbreak of violence and the recent coup. We will have more to share in the coming days.

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